We Are As Mayflies
by Razzaroo
Summary: "Open your eyes and I'll tell you my name." Magnus had never had much interest in humans; this boy would be no different. Fantasy!Human!AU. Genre and rating may change.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N. Whoops, I'm being and irresponsible author again with another fic. This is another de-anon from the kink meme. Usual disclaimers apply.**

* * *

Magnus leant against the sturdy trunk of the tree he was in, poking a twig into his panpipes, removing any dirt that had built up in the months of misuse. Ari was supposed to have been cleaning them while he'd been away but, apparently, he'd discovered _other_ priorities.

Such as allowing a dark-haired elf boy to charm him into bed.

He shuddered at the memory of walking in on his brother, on his back, being kissed and caressed by Xiang, Yao and Arthur's elf-Yao hybrid. Not something he'd wanted to see.

He raised his panpipes to his mouth and blew, sending a clear note into the forest. He'd missed these while he was away; he'd have gladly taken them with him, if not for the fact that they made him too recognisable to the denizens of the Unseelie Court who bore a grudge against him.

The joys of being a solitary under the protection of the Seelie court.

He allowed his tail to hang down while he settled into the tune; no humans walked through his forest. No humans of any consequence, anyway.

Although, what counted as being of consequence to humans was different to what the fey counted as being of consequence.

A smirk crossed his face at the thought; humans didn't even notice when his kind stole their children away. Did that mean that their children weren't important to them? He could remember how much he'd sheltered Ari from the world until the he grew up.

"Then again," Magnus cleaned the rest of the dust and dirt that had built up inside his panpipes, "To humans, I don't exist."

* * *

Matthias looked up when he heard the music. He had never heard music in the forest before and he'd been playing there for as long as he could remember.

He looked towards his house, to where his parents were working in the garden. His mama always told him to never go further than the edge of the forest; she said that the forest was no place for a seven year old boy.

But he really wanted to see who was playing that music.

It didn't sound like his daddy's violin or like the piano that his neighbour played. It sounded more like when his mama blew over the top of open bottles or like a quieter, nicer version of the wind when it was stormy. He hadn't really heard anything like it before, except maybe a flute but even then it was different.

Matthias wanted to find out what it was. His mama wouldn't mind that much; he wouldn't be gone for long. He'd make sure he was back before teatime anyway.

He tightened his grip on the handle of his wooden sword and crept further into the forest. The music was still playing deeper in the trees. He hoped it wasn't too far else he could get lost.

His daddy never got lost when he was in the forest but, when he took Matthias out in the forest, he was always saying that Matthias shouldn't wander off because he might get lost.

Of course, his daddy never said that to Berwald because Berwald was the older brother (by a year) and knew what the forest was like. Matthias wouldn't know until he was Berwald's age. At least, that's what his mama said.

He clambered over a log, the wooden sword still clenched in his hand. When he looked over his shoulder, he couldn't see his house any more. The music sounded a lot louder now and he wondered how far away he was from his house. He didn't even know which direction his house was in.

Was it really that easy to get lost? How was he going to get home?

He could feel his bottom lip begin to tremble and he bit down on it; he wouldn't cry! Berwald wouldn't cry; Berwald never cried. He rubbed at his eyes and sank to his knees, not caring that the leaves underneath him were damp.

The forest felt a lot bigger now he was alone. Big and quiet; even the music had stopped.

The sound of footsteps behind Matthias made him look up, even though his vision was blurred by tears that made his eyes sting and feel hot. He rubbed the tears away and turned around.

There was no one there.

More tears rolled down his cheeks and he sniffed. Was he hearing things as well?

"Hello?!" he called out, his voice echoing on all sides. There was no answer and he felt his breath hitch as a sob caught in his throat.

He really wanted to go home.

"What are you doing in my forest?" Matthias whipped his head round when he heard the voice. His chest jumped with hiccups.

The man was leaning against the tree. He was very tall with sleek blonde hair and his eyes were a dark blue colour. There was a clip in his hair, silver and in the shape of a cross. Matthias didn't like the way the man was looking at him; it was as if the man could see right through him.

"You haven't come to spoil my forest, have you?" the man asked, raising an eyebrow.

Matthias shook his head as he stumbled backwards, holding the sword out in front of him. He'd always been told not to talk to strangers. He wiped his nose on his sleeve and fixed the man with a glare. The man only laughed.

"Then what are you doing here?" he asked, moving towards Matthias, "Were you listening to my panpipes?"

Matthias lowered the sword slightly, "That was you?"

The man snorted, "Who else would it be? Now what are you doing here?"

"I'm…" Matthias swallowed, "I got a bit lost."

The man grinned and Matthias felt a shiver travel up his spine. He didn't know what he felt about that smile.

"Just a _little_ lost?" the man was right in front of Matthias now; he could see the cow's tail poking out from underneath the man's long coat, "No humans are near my forest. How are you only a _little_ lost?"

Matthias looked down at the scuffed leather of his boots, "My house is right on the edge of the forest. Since I can remember."

The man pinched Matthias's cheek, "I haven't been gone that long, have I? There were no houses anywhere near this forest and there were certainly no mortal children."

Matthias didn't say anything; he couldn't. Not when the man was pulling on his face like that. It was almost like he'd never seen a human child before. He ran a slender finger over the bottom row of Matthias's teeth, fascinated by the one that was coming loose.

"Do all mortals have teeth coming loose?" he asked, withdrawing his hands from Matthias's face. Matthias shook his head.

He held his sword behind his back, rocking on his heels. This man (or creature; he didn't know) might be able to take him home, if he knew the forest well enough. He just had to be nice.

"What's ya name, mister?" he asked, peeking up at the man.

The man's eyebrows rose again, "And why should I tell a flash in the pan mortal like you?"

Matthias crinkled his nose; what was that supposed to mean? He didn't live in a pan! And Berwald was the one everyone compared to a star so he should be the flashy one.

"I just wanna know," he said, his voice going quiet, "I need ya help."

The man's hands were suddenly holding onto his face, tilting his head back. His eyes met the man's; he squeezed his eyes shut. He didn't like the look in the man's eyes. There was something wrong about them.

"Tell me yours first," said the man, his voice barely above a whisper, "Make it a fair trade."

Matthias felt tears leak out from underneath his closed eyelids. Maybe this man wouldn't help him get home; maybe he was one of those men that his parents had warned him about, one of the men who took children and hid them away under a hollow hill where their parents would never hear them again.

"Don't cry," the man's voice had softened, "I didn't mean to make you cry. Just to make a fair trade. I forget that mortals are so much more fragile."

He wiped the tears from Matthias's face, his touch surprisingly gentle. Matthias tightened his grip on his sword, ready to hit at the man if he was grabbed at again. He kept his eyes squeezed shut. The man raked his fingers through Matthias's hair.

"Open your eyes and I'll tell you my name," said the man, easing Matthias's sword from his grip, "I promise not to touch you again."

Matthias sniffed and slowly opened his eyes. The man was crouched in front of him; his eyes were still strange but looked…safer.

"That's better," said the man, "I like mortals much better when they have their eyes open."

Matthias reached for his sword and the man allowed him to take it; Matthias wondered why the man had taken it from him in the first place. He held the toy close to his chest before fixing his eyes on the man in front of him.

"Ya said ya'd tell me ya name," he said, "Ya promised."

The man smiled. He looked a lot nicer when he smiled.

"My name," he said, his voice quiet, "Is Magnus."


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N. Update of the week! I promise I'm working on my other projects too!**

* * *

Berwald had never seen his mother panic before. He'd seen her angry, incredibly angry, especially at her sister. He wasn't sure what happened between them but he knew they didn't see his cousins as much anymore, unless his father went to pick them up and bring them here.

He wasn't sure why his mother was worrying so much about Matthias, either. He was always getting into trouble so how was now any different?

His mother sat at the kitchen table, sobbing. Her hair had escaped from her plait and she hadn't even bothered to change out of the dress she'd been gardening in. His father was out in the forest with Tino's father, looking for Matthias.

Berwald himself had been quizzed over and over about whether or not he'd seen which direction his brother had wandered off; had he been going towards the village or had he gone towards the forest? Berwald had insisted that he hadn't seen where his brother had gone.

It was only when his father came back from the village, without Matthias, that his mother had started crying.

"Berwald?" he looked up at the sound of his mother's tear-choked voice.

She was standing in the doorway to his bedroom, twisting her apron between her hands. Her eyes were puffy and rimmed with red. Her smile was weak.

"I'm sorry I got so angry with you," she said, stepping into his room, "I'm just so worried about Matthias. It won't happen again, I promise."

Berwald only nodded and she came forward and swept him into her arms, holding him close. He felt her body shudder with held-back sobs and he wrapped his arms around her waist, holding on tightly.

He might not have entirely understood all the fuss over Matthias, but he hated seeing his mother upset.

Matthias would be getting a lecture from him when he was brought back.

"I'm sorry," his mother apologised again, her words muffled by her hold on him, "It's not your fault."

"It's OK," he said quietly, clinging to her, "You're just scared."

She pulled away and brushed her hair away from her face. A frown creased her forehead and he jumped when her warm hands caressed his face.

"There's no need for you to cry, Berwald," she said, brushing his hair out of his face, "Everything will be fine."

He raised a hand to his cheek and was surprised that it came away damp. How could he have not noticed that he'd started crying?

He looked at his mother before throwing his arms around her neck and bawling. He hadn't seen his little brother all day and he didn't know where Matthias was! What kind of older brother did that make him?

A terrible one, that was what he was.

* * *

Magnus, as it turned out, was not a human at all. He was, apparently, a creature called a huldrekall. He had a long cow's tail and a hollow back which fascinated Matthias.

The forest had gone dark as the sun set. Matthias didn't like the dark and he'd figured that Magnus would look after him until it was light again. It wasn't like he could get home in the dark, even if he knew where he was.

"Where are ya from?" asked Matthias, clinging to Magnus's coat, "I've never seen ya before."

"That is because I left this forest for my travels long before you were even a twinkle in your mother's eye," said Magnus crisply, trying to ignore the child-shaped barnacle that had attached to his side, "But it is still my forest."

"Where did ya go?" Matthias looked up at Magnus's face, his expression filled with awe; he'd never known anyone who'd travelled further than the big city on the north peninsular.

Magnus let out an irritated sigh, "I've been to far more places than you can count on all your fingers, if you can count at all."

"I can count," Matthias insisted, "I can count all the way up to 250."

"Yippee for you," said Magnus, trying to shake Matthias off of his coat, "Don't you have a Mummy you can run home to?"

"Of course I do," said Matthias, holding on tighter, "But I can't get home in the dark and ya don't know where I live. Don't ya have a mama?"

Magnus went silent for a moment. Matthias couldn't read his expression; his face was completely blank.

"I don't have a mother," he said eventually, "The only family I have is my younger brother."

"I have a brother," said Matthias, latching onto that one bit of information about the huldrekall's life, "But he's older than me. His name is Berwald. What's your brother's name?"

"He's called Ari," Magnus said, his voice coming out tense, "Why do you want to know all this?"

"Because ya interesting," said Matthias, "I've always wanted a younger brother. Ya lucky to be the oldest."

Magnus ignored the comment. He could hear the sound of a dog baying. Men's voices carried through the trees.

Human men. Adult human men.

"Do you hear that?" he said, clapping a hand over Matthias's mouth, "Listen!"

Matthias froze and strained his ears, trying to hear what Magnus could.

"That's my daddy's voice," he said gleefully, pulling free from Magnus's hand, "He's found me!"

Magnus let him go and backed into the trees, watching from behind one of them as the dog burst into view, its nose against the ground. Matthias recognised it as Tino's father's hunting dog. It pressed its nose against his clothes before sitting on its haunches and howling.

Matthias scratched the dog's ears as the sound of footsteps crashing through the forest came nearer. He wondered why Magnus was hiding; his daddy wasn't bad and the dog was friendly, most of the time.

"Matthias!" he was swept up into his father's arms and held against the man's broad chest.

He wrapped his arms around his father's neck and pressed his face into the man's shoulder; he'd found Magnus interesting but he was tired and wanted to go home.

"Hi Daddy!" he said, his voice muffled by his father's heavy coat.

His father squeezed him tightly and whistled to the dog. Matthias peered over his father's shoulder as he was carried out of the clearing; Magnus was gone.

"Don't do that to me again," his father whispered; his voice sounded strange. It was the same tone Matthias's mother had when she was about to cry.

"I'm sorry," said Matthias, resting his head on his father's shoulder, "I didn't mean to."

His father sighed and squeezed him again as he approached Tino's father, "It's all right. I've found you again. It's all right."


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N. Ah, I said I'd update more regularly but I haven't ;_;. I'm sorry.**

* * *

Matthias liked the summer. The days always seemed like endless amounts of sunlight and his daddy actually took him and Berwald out into the forest with him.

Too bad his father hadn't taken him out into the forest since his encounter with Magnus nearly a year ago.

"Matthias," his mama called to him from the kitchen and he set his book aside, going through to her.

She was leaning over the kitchen sink, one hand on her belly and the other over her mouth. He didn't like the fact that the baby made her sick; little brothers or sisters weren't supposed to make their mamas sick.

"Are ya OK?" he asked, tugging on her sleeve. He tried to keep himself from looking at how big her belly had gotten over just a few months.

"Go and find your daddy," she said, tucking some of her hair behind her ear, "I need him to turn baby around again."

Matthias nodded before stepping out into the warm air outside. His daddy was in the vegetable patch at the bottom of the garden, with Berwald, working in the shadow of the tall fence he'd built to keep Matthias from going into the forest. He'd built it in the winter, after Matthias had come back from talking to Magnus, shivering.

It was also that day when his mama and daddy banned him from going into the forest alone ever again.

"What is it Matthias?" his daddy sounded almost surprised to see him; he had been told to stay with his mama, after all, "Is there anything wrong?"

Matthias looked over at the fence, trying to ignore Berwald's stare, "She said she needs ya help to turn baby around."

His daddy nodded and set down his gardening tools, ruffling Matthias's hair as he went by, "Keep an eye on him, Berwald."

Berwald nodded. Matthias pushed his bottom lip out in a pout; he didn't need Berwald to watch him. He wasn't going anywhere, not when his mama needed his help because of the baby.

Besides, Magnus had promised to come and see him that night. He didn't need to go out.

"What're ya thinkin' of?" Berwald asked, setting his bag aside, "Ya've got that look on ya face again?"

"What look?" said Matthias, keeping his expression as neutral as possible, "I'm not thinkin' of anythin'."

For a moment, he felt almost crushed at the fact that he and Berwald spoke like each other. He'd have to fix that.

"Yes ya are," said Berwald accusingly, "Ya thinkin' of ya imaginary friend again, aren't ya?"

Matthias scowled, "Magnus isn't imaginary. He's real. I saw him!"

Berwald just continued to stare at him. Matthias hated when he did that; he was teased enough at school and he didn't want his older brother to think less of him as well.

"I'm sure," said Berwald, shrugging and passing Matthias a bag of vegetables, "We have to take these to mama."

Matthias followed his brother up the garden towards the house. He glanced back to the towering fence; he allowed himself to grin when he saw Magnus perched on it, watching as he and Berwald made their way inside.

He knew he wasn't crazy. Just because Magnus didn't show himself to anyone else didn't make him crazy; it just made him special.

* * *

"Aren't you a little old for this?" Magnus asked. He was sitting on Matthias's bed, the child's head in his lap.

"For what?" said Matthias, closing his eyes and relaxing as Magnus raked his fingers through his mop of blonde hair.

"For someone to coddle you all the time," replied Magnus, "You need to grow up. Especially now that you're eight years old."

Matthias didn't reply. He didn't want to have to grow up properly until he became a big brother and his mama had told him that he wouldn't be a big brother for another two and a half months.

Of course, he'd seen the doctor around a lot lately, always there to check on mama and the baby. His daddy always looked so tired these days and his mama always looked tired and sore. Berwald couldn't tell him anything, even if he did know what was going on.

If growing up meant always being tired, sore and not talking to your baby brother, Matthias didn't ever want to grow up.

"What was it like when you were waiting for your little brother?" he asked eventually, opening his eyes and looking up into Magnus's face.

"Waiting for Ari?" Magnus went quiet for a moment, as if he was thinking, "It was a very long time ago. I don't really remember it that well."

"How old are ya?" said Matthias, not moving his gaze from Magnus's face. The huldrekall didn't look much older than that weird Yao-person who owned a tea shop in the village.

"Very old," Magnus replied, "Maybe even older than you can count."

"I can count even higher now," said Matthias, "Ya wanna see? I've got it in my schoolbooks."

"I'm sure you've gotten very good at mathematics," Magnus held Matthias in place, "I don't need you to show me."

Matthias rolled over and wrapped his arms around Magnus's waist, burying his face in the huldrekall's side. He'd missed talking to Magnus these past few weeks.

"The people at school think I'm weird," Matthias said, his voice coming out sleepy and muffled, "Because I talk about ya a lot. They tell me that ya don't exist."

Magnus continued to stroke the boy's hair, "I certainly hope I exist."

He smiled slightly when he heard the sound of Matthias's laughter, muffled by the fabric of his clothes. Matthias raised his head and yawned but still held onto Magnus.

"You need to sleep," said Magnus, standing up and gently laid Matthias down on his bed, "It's late, for someone as little as you."

"I'm not that little," Matthias protested, "The baby's little. I'm not little."

Magnus's expression softened as Matthias pulled the blankets up to his chin. Despite him saying that he wasn't tired, he looked half-asleep already.

"Ya never did say where ya sleep," he murmured, fading fast, "I'd feel bad if ya slept outside."

"Ari and I have a place to sleep," Magnus smoothed Matthias's hair down, "You shouldn't be thinking about where I sleep."

"One day, I'm gonna see where ya sleep," said Matthias, rolling onto his side and hugging one of his stuffed animals to his chest, "I bet it looks real nice."

Magnus didn't say anything. He just perched on the boy's chest of drawers beside his bed. For some strange reason, Matthias reminded him of Ari. A much louder, boisterous version of Ari but he still brought about a similar feeling of needing to protect him.

It was wrong. The fey weren't supposed to be protective over humans. Ari would laugh if he could see his brother now, watching over a mortal child who'd be dead in one faery sigh.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N. Another update. I'm so proud of myself**

* * *

Sometimes, Berwald thought his little brother needed help. He talked about a creature that didn't exist, a faery he called Magnus. Berwald saw how their classmates laughed at Matthias behind his back and teased him right in his face.

Tino had managed to convince Berwald to coax Matthias to his side during their breaks because even Tino saw what the other children were doing. Matthias was able to ignore the others but Berwald didn't like it; no one picked on his little brother.

No one.

"Matthias," he said, his brother opening the front door catching his attention, "Where ya goin'?"

"The doctor says I need to go get some salt or some iron scissors," replied Matthias, turning to face Berwald, "She said it will help keep mama and the baby safe."

"Do ya want me to come with ya?" Berwald asked, worried that some of the village children would cause trouble for Matthias if he was on his own.

Matthias shook his head, "She said she needs ya here, to get towels."

Berwald watched Matthias go before a movement in the window caught his eye. He clambered up onto the window seat, looking outside. Sure enough, there was a young man walking along the top of the fence at the bottom of the garden.

Berwald pressed his face against the glass, trying to get a closer look at the man. Tall, slender and with light blonde hair. He narrowed his eyes at the sight.

What business did anyone have on their fence? Especially when the baby was coming?

And what business did anyone have following Matthias to the village?

Another cry of pain from his mother drew his attention away from the watching the man through the window. His father came downstairs from the bedroom, brushing his sleek blonde hair out of his face.

"Are you all right?" Berwald asked, getting down from the window seat.

"I'm all right, don't worry about me," his father replied, "We have to take care of your mother."

There was another cry from the bedroom, along with the muffled words of the doctor and midwife. Berwald winced at the sound of his mother's cries of pain.

"Go and get some towels," said his father, smoothing down his hair, "Baby's coming soon. It'll need to be wrapped and cleaned."

"But Matthias hasn't brought the scissors or the salt," Berwald blurted out.

His father looked puzzled, "He will, soon. But your mother doesn't need those until the baby is here; salt and scissors keep the faeries away, that's why Matthias has to go and get those things, for when the little one is here. Faeries can't steal away a baby that hasn't been born yet."

Berwald frowned, "Faeries are real?"

His father shrugged, "Maybe. We can't take chances. Now go and get towels. Now."

Berwald bowed his head and went downstairs to the airing cupboard to go and get some more clean towels. He heard the high-pitched sound of a baby squalling as he pulled the towels down off of the shelf.

If this baby turned out to be as loud as Matthias, then he could only hope that it wouldn't be as delusional.

* * *

Matthias looked down at his new baby brother, swaddled in blankets and wide awake in Matthias's old cot. The baby's eyes were a shocking bright blue and he seemed to have inherited his mother's ginger hair.

It was strange for Matthias to see someone in his old cot. It had been sitting in the corner of his parents' room for the past six months, its intricate carvings drawing Matthias's attention every time he crawled in between his parents every morning.

A pair of iron scissors hung open above the cot, suspended by the handles. There was salt scattered around the legs of the cot, the crystals digging into Matthias's bare feet.

"What do you think about him?" his mother asked from the bed, her voice tired and hoarse.

"He's small," Matthias gently batted at the scissors over the cot, "So I don't get why anyone would wanna take him. He's kinda useless."

"That's not a very nice thing to say about your baby brother," she said, "He'll get bigger. He just needs feeding."

"A lot of feedin'," said Matthias, reaching into the cot to prod the baby's cheek. The baby squirmed, scrunching his face up, "Why is he such a grump?"

"He's very tired," his mother replied, "And this is all very new to him. You were grumpy to, when you were born."

"Magnus says I'm too cheery," said Matthias, moving away from the cot and sitting on the blanket box at the end of the bed, "So maybe he won't be so grumpy when he's as big as me."

His mother shifted slightly at the mention of Magnus. Matthias knew that his mother didn't believe him about Magnus; his father didn't believe him either.

"Whatever you say, dear," she said, closing her eyes and relaxing against her pillows, "Children will believe in what they want to believe in."

Matthias sat on the edge of her bed once the baby stopped interesting him. He swung his legs back and forth, his heels knocking against the bed frame. His mother rested a hand over his, her skin feel almost too soft on his knuckles.

"Exactly who is Magnus, sweetheart?" she asked, "You've never told me before."

"He's a type of faery," Matthias replied, "He says he's a huldrekall but I don't know what they do. He lives in the forest, near Echo Lake, like Mr. Yao."

"Does Yao know him?" she said, making a note to ask Yao about it next time she saw him; not that she thought she'd get much out of him. That man liked to keep himself and his family private from the rest of the village.

Matthias shrugged, "Dunno. He never talks about him."

She nodded and leant back against her pillows. She looked over to the cot on the other side of the room and couldn't help but wonder if "Magnus" was an imaginary friend Matthias had made up in a strange way of coping with the fact that he was no longer the baby of the family.

"How old is he?" she asked softly, tightening her hold on her son's hand.

"He doesn't say," he replied, "But he's very old. Older than I can count, he says."

His mother pulled him to lie against her chest and held him close, stroking his hair.

It was because of the baby; it had to be.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N. I am actually the worst at updating. I am so sorry to anyone still reading this. I'd give you all my chocolate to apologise if I could.**

* * *

The baby's name was Bo and, six months after he was born, it was time for his official Naming Ceremony.

"Why didn't they just have a Namin' Ceremony when ya picked the name for him?" Matthias asked, cradling his baby brother in his arms while his mother picked his jacket out for him, "And why do I have to come?"

"Because all of the family is supposed to attend," his mother replied, laying out his best jacket, "Besides, Berwald came to yours."

She lifted Bo out of Matthias's arms and cuddled him close, stroking his still ginger hair. Matthias picked up his jacket and slid it on, not caring that it rolled the sleeves of his shirt up.

"But why didn't ya do it earlier?" he asked, trotting after his mother when she left his room, "It would have been easier."

"We didn't know if he'd live," she said quietly, "There's a better chance at this age."

Matthias wrinkled his nose but didn't say anything. Magnus said that no human lasted very long in his eyes; Matthias had to wonder if Magnus would have seen a Naming Ceremony for a six month old baby as worth the effort.

Bo watched his brother over his mother's shoulder, his mouth slightly open to reveal bright pink gums. A towel was over his mother's shoulder and under his chin, there to keep his saliva from getting onto her best dress.

Matthias made a mental note to teach Bo how to smile better.

"You have to stay in the house until we leave," his mother said, "I don't want you getting untidy because you suddenly feel like romping around in the vegetable patch. You stay with Berwald, am I clear?"

He pouted; he didn't want to just hang around with Berwald until they went to the river. He didn't like the way Berwald looked at him; it hadn't been the same since he'd met Magnus.

"Wipe that look off your face, young man," his father cuffed his jaw when he followed his mother into the living room, "You have no reason to have that look on your face."

Matthias nodded and managed to change his expression into one as neutral as Berwald's. His father smiled and smoothed down his son's hair, trying to make him look presentable. Berwald didn't even look up from the book he was reading.

"You behave yourself while we're out," his father said, crouching down and making an attempt to straighten out Matthias's shirt sleeves from under his jacket, "No stories about your Magnus, understand?"

Matthias's pout returned and he muttered, "He's not made up. They ain't stories."

His mother fixed him with a stern glare, "Listen to your daddy. We don't want to hear anything about any faeries or anything like that."

Matthias crossed his arms over his chest and sat next to Berwald, sulking. Berwald only glanced at him before looking down at his book. Matthias scowled and looked out of the window.

He'd thought that the baby being born would stop people from telling him off for talking about Magnus.

* * *

"How long do we have to be here?" Matthias asked, holding onto his father's hand and watching as the other villagers milled around his mother, admiring the new baby.

"You can go home when you start to get tired," his father replied, squeezing his hand.

Matthias nodded and pressed up against his father's side. Berwald had vanished into the crowd with Tino, leaving Matthias with no cover apart from his father. All the other village children gave him sideways glances and snickered at him when his father wasn't looking.

"What if I'm tired now?"

His father smiled, "It's one in the afternoon, Matthias. You can't be tired."

Matthias pouted and turned away from his father. He caught a glimpse of a man with pale blonde hair, almost white, and frowned. The man looked familiar but Matthias could never remember speaking to him before. He certainly wasn't from the village.

He let go of his father's hand and wove his way through the people standing between him and the familiar man that he didn't know.

A hand landed on his shoulder and spun him round. He looked up to see who it was and met Magnus's cool blue gaze.

"Fancy seeing you here," Magnus's mouth quirked up in a small smile, "Don't you have a baby brother to be paying attention to?"

Matthias beamed at him, forgetting the man he'd been after. This was the first time he'd seen Magnus since Bo had been born; he wondered if the iron scissors had kept Magnus away from his house as well as all the bad faeries who'd take Bo away.

"Where have ya been?" he asked, resisting the temptation to wrap his arms around his friend, "Ya vanished."

Magnus shrugged, relinquishing his hold on Matthias's shoulder, "Solitary fey don't like to have a routine. In my experience at least."

Matthias nodded, although he didn't fully understand what Magnus meant. He didn't understand what made solitary fey so special. He didn't completely understand being a solitary fey _meant._

"Have ya seen my baby brother?"

Magnus shook his head, "No. He's not why I'm here. I'm here to see you."

Matthias cocked his head to the side, confused. Magnus only ever came to see him at his house and even those visits had become more infrequent with Magnus only talking to him when he was weeding the vegetable garden.

"I have to go away again," Magnus continued, shifting under the uncomfortable watch of Matthias's father, "I don't know how long for so don't ask."

He glanced up at the white-haired man Matthias had been following, his eyebrows drawn together in a frown. Matthias followed his gaze, looking the man over before the penny dropped.

"Is that ya younger brother?" he asked, not noticing that his father was staring, his face set in frown.

Magnus, on the other hand, turned his eyes to Matthias's father. He smoothed Matthias's hair down and crouched down in front of the boy, pressing something into his hand.

"This is for you," he said, closing Matthias's fingers around the object, "To help you."

Matthias opened his hand to see a small piece of wood carved into the shape of a rune. A thin strip of leather was looped through a small hole at the top and the two ends were tied in a neat knot.

"What is it?" he asked, putting the string over his head and hanging it around his neck, tucking the rune under his shirt.

"_Eihwaz,"_ Magnus replied, his voice quiet, "It's very old and powerful. Don't lose it, all right?"

Matthias nodded and Magnus rose to his full height again. Matthias's father was approaching, his thumb looped into his belt by the knife sheath he kept there at all times. Magnus patted Matthias's head before joining his white-haired companion and vanishing past a group of villagers who were clustered around Matthias's mother and Bo.

"Who was that?" Matthias looked up at his father and allowed the man to take his hand, "A new teacher at school?"

Matthias beamed, "That was Magnus."

He wouldn't see Magnus again for another eight years.


End file.
